Saving Money: DIY Repair Tips

There are some household repairs that are so simple that even the pros feel bad about charging for them (really!). Many of these plumbing, heating, electrical, air conditioning, and appliance repairs are simple things that homeowners overlook. Other solutions in this collection are less obvious, but all of these repairs can save you a big chunk of change the next time something goes wrong.

Low water pressure at the faucet?

Clean or replace the aerator

Over time, aerators get clogged with minerals or other bits of stuff that break loose
from the inside of the pipes. Remove the aerator by turning it clockwise when you're
looking down on it. You may have to grip it with pliers to unscrew it. Once it's off,
you can take the parts out of the aerator and clean them, but it's usually better to simply
replace it. Take it along to the hardware store to find an exact thread match.

Your toilet's not a garbage can

Put trash in the wastebasket instead

Our pro plumber got a call to unplug a toilet he had recently installed. He was surprised
because he had put in a toilet that he knew was almost impossible to clog. After
repeated attempts with a plunger
and a toilet auger, he gave up and
removed the toilet to look in from
the bottom. The outlet was completely
clogged with a tangled web
of plastic dental floss holders, which
had to be removed one at a time
with needle-nose pliers. Save yourself
a service call. Use the wastebasket
for garbage.

Got a leak?

Try tightening the valve stem packing nut

The next time you see a suspicious puddle of water, look for a leaky valve before
you call the plumber. Look at the valve to see if water is leaking out around the valve
stem. If it is, try turning the packing nut about an eighth turn with a
wrench. If tightening the nut doesn't stop the leak, you'll have to shut
off the main water valve, remove the handle and nut, and add to or replace the packing
material—still a pretty easy fix.

No hot water?

Check the water heater pilot light

Before you call the plumber, remove the metal
cover located at the bottom of the water heater or simply look through the glass door
to see if the pilot is lit. If you don't see a small pilot light flame, follow the instructions
for relighting the pilot on the label pasted to the tank. Some high-efficiency
water heaters don't have a pilot light that stays lit all the time. If you have one of
these, check your owner's manual before you reach for the phone.

Refrigerator not cooling?

Check the temperature dial and cooling coils

It could be as simple as turning the dial to a cooler setting. Check the controls.
Our pro plumber says it's not uncommon to find that the refrigerator controls are set
wrong. Someone may have bumped the dial while putting away the milk or an
inquisitive toddler may have twisted the knob.
Cooling coils completely caked with pet hair and dust are also incredibly
common. Remove the front grille and vacuum the coils.

No flame at the gas burners?

Check stove power source

If you don't hear gas coming out when the burner
is turned on, gas isn't getting to the stove.
Check to make sure the gas is turned on. If you hear gas
coming out but the burner won't light, make sure
the stove is plugged in. Even gas stoves need power.
If the stove is getting gas and has power, clean
the igniter near the burner or clean out the pilot light hole.

Electric stove burner not heating?

A recent cleaning might be the reason

The first thing our pro plumber asks is, “Did you clean the stove recently?” Usually the
answer is yes, and the fix is easy. When you slid the burner back into the top, the terminal
didn't engage with the receptacle under the stove top or the plastic terminal
block got knocked out of its holder. Lift the stove-top to see what the problem is. The
fix usually involves reinstalling the terminal block. Also try spreading the terminals
slightly to create a tighter connection.

An electrical outlet doesn't work

Reset your GFCI electrical outlets

Some outlets are protected by upstream GFCIs or GFCI circuit
breakers. Look in the circuit box for a GFCI circuit breaker and
in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms for GFCI outlets.
Test and reset them. This may solve your problem.

Not getting enough heat?

Check the furnace filter and air vents

One of the most common causes of insufficient heat
or cooled air is a plugged furnace filter.
Change inexpensive woven
fiberglass filters once a month
or buy a better-quality
pleated filter and change it
every three months to
avoid heating and cooling
problems.
Another common cause
of cold rooms during
heating season is a blocked
cold air return. Be sure
your couch or an area rug
isn't covering a cold air
return vent because this
can slow the entry of
heated air into the room.